Democrat Tony Evers elected Wisconsin governor, denying Republican Scott Walker a third term
Posted 4:48 am, November 7, 2018, by CNNwire
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 26: Tony Evers, Democratic candidate for governor of Wisconsin, speaks at a rally in support of Wisconsin Democrats at North Division High School on October 26, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Former President Barack Obama also spoke at the event. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
WISCONSIN – Democrat Tony Evers will oust Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker from office, denying the Republican a third term and accomplishing something Democrats have long looked to achieve.
Evers, the Wisconsin state superintendent of public instruction, hammered Walker throughout the campaign as a career politician who has been around too long with too few results. Evers, like Democrats across the country, ran in clear opposition to the Republican health care plan, but he also seized on the widely held view in the state that education had suffered under Walker.
The governor was on defense for much of the campaign, accusing Evers of being a Democrat who wants to raise taxes on all Wisconsinites and arguing that he was wrong about his health care attacks.
Although Walker ran in parallel with Trump for much of the campaign — the President visited Mosinee, Wisconsin, in late October to rally with Walker — Evers declined to seize on anti-Trump sentiment in the state and instead argued Trump had little to do with his campaign.
"I don't care about Donald Trump. I am not running against Donald Trump," he told CNN weeks before the election. "He can come every day if he wants to."
Cuyahoga County printed extra ballots as voter turnout swelled
Republicans working on gubernatorial races in the midterms acknowledged early in the process that Walker, who was first elected in 2010, was looking to do something difficult by winning the same job three terms in a row. Democrats and Republicans alike argued that so-called "Walker fatigue" would weigh down the former 2016 presidential candidate.
In a subtle acknowledgment of this problem, Walker closed the campaign by talking regularly about Tommy Thompson, the longest serving governor in the state's history who served four terms from 1987 to 2001.
Walker told CNN before Election Day that be believed complacency, not fatigue, was the biggest issue facing his campaign.
"There is a concern that people take things for granted — a complacency," Walker said. "Things are going well and maybe they are not motivated to see it through and get to the polls."
Walker, though, was asking voters to back him for the fourth time in eight years. After winning in 2010, Democrats looked to recall him in 2012, an effort he eventually successfully beat back. He then won reelection in 2014.
Ohioans reject Issue 1 to lower penalties for drug offenses
It's that near constant presence on the ballot, Democrats in the state said, that worked against Walker. Evers, while a constant campaigner, was not known for his charisma on the campaign trial, with some of his supporters even describing him a dull.
Even still, Evers' candidacy drew considerable attention from national Democrats. California Sen. Kamala Harris, a possible 2020 candidate, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, another 2020 hopeful, and former President Barack Obama all campaigned for Evers in the waning days of the campaign.
See Ohio election results here.
Continuing coverage of You Decide 2018.
Topics: wisconsin governor, you decide 2018
WEEKDAYS 10AM
with David Moss and Natalie Herbick
USDA proposes allowing 'more flexibility' in school lunches
Cleveland police search for missing 12-year-old girl
President Donald Trump impeached by US House on 2 charges
President Trump says impeachment probe has been 'very hard' on his family
House Democrats set to move one step closer to impeachment with Rules Committee vote
President Trump rallies supporters in Michigan as House impeaches him
House impeachment hearing gets rancorous as lawyers testify
'We must act': Democrats unveil Trump impeachment charges
House panel approves 2 Trump impeachment charges
House panel delays historic Trump impeachment vote
President Trump accuses Democrats of 'perversion of justice and abuse of power' in letter to Pelosi
Ex-Massachusetts Gov. Patrick announces Dem presidential bid
Billionaire, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg launches Democratic presidential bid
Pelosi: House moving to send impeachment to Senate next week
McConnell blasts impeachment effort as 'most unfair' in history